Indian Ocean History -- Classical Era -- 1000 BCE-300 CE

Sugar Cane

1000 BCE

Sugar cane is a type of grass very high in sugar content. In 1000 BCE sugar can had reached India and was grown at a large rate.

Phoenician Ships

1000 BCE

Around 1000 BCE Phoenicians, a small group of merchants, began to build ships for travel and trade. The ships were large in size and were set at a capacity to hold up to 20 crew members and hold lots of goods. For this time in history the builders were highly skilled and the ships were highly advanced

Bananas

1000 BCE

Bananas were originally cultivated in New Guinea. They had traveled through Southeast Asia, India and around 100 BCE reached Africa.

Obelisk of Shalamaneser III

825 BCE

Obelisk of Shalamaneser III is a black limestone pillar that was set as a public monument by King Shalmaneaser III in 825 BCE. The monument features carvings that represent different things from Shalmaneaser's rule from 858-824 BCE. At the top of the pillar there is images of Bactrian camels which shows travelers they were in fact in Southwest Asia.

Indigo Dye

700 BCE

In Babylon, Greece, Roman, and Chinese communities the indigo plant could be found. The plant held great value and was used for the dye which was a luxury product. In China the dye was used to color silk and was sent as dyestuff to other countries. SInce indigo was difficult to work it was a high demand product mainly gained from India

Canal des Pharaons

609 BCE

Pharaoh Necho of Egypt was in rule during 609 BCE. During his rule he created the Canal des Pharaons in hopes of improving trade by linking the Nile River to the Red Sea. This effort was as successful as it could've been, a large amount of lives were lost in effort of creating the canal. Secondly there was a possibility that the canal could become suffocated with sand or could salt the water of the Nile

Scylax of Caryanda

510 BCE

Scylax of Caryanda was a Greek explorer that sailed the Indian Ocean from 510 to 515 BCE. King Darius of Persia wanted to find the mouth of the Indus River because of the rumor of riches in India. He traveled to many regions and when he returned, he shared news of these places. The news he brought helped to encourage trade with these different regions.

Hanno

500 BCE

Hanno was an admiral in Carthage. In 500 BCE Hanno sailed the western coast of Africa. He was sent to explore Libya, the modern day Africa, with a goal to find a cities for Libyphoenicians to live. In Libya he established many successful colonies and a trading post of the coast of Mauritiana.

Camel Saddle

500 BCE

Camels were used by nomads, those who used the camel for survival, and people that herded animals. The development of the camel saddle started in 500 BCE and was perfected until 100 BCE in Northern Arabia. The camel saddle made it possible to ride the camel and carry a large amount of goods while traveling.

Cinnamon and Cassia

500 BCE

Cinnamon and cassia can be found in the bark of trees. Both of these are spices very similar to one another. These two spices were highly sought after due to the fact that they only have the ability to grow in tropical climates. Cinnamon is originally from Sri Lanka whereas cassia's origin is China. Cinnamon was then traded with towns is southern Arab. Cinnamon and cassia were both transported to the Gulf of Aden as well as the Mediterranean.

Alexander the Great

336 BCE

Alexander the Great was the king of Macedonia in 336 BCE. During his time as king he asserted control over Western and Central Asia, Egypt, and the Indus Valley. The city of Alexandria in Egypt was discovered by Alexander and went on to become a key point for trade and art. Since he was conquering all these territories Greek culture was mixed with the culture already intact in these lands. These conquest paved the way for interaction and exchanges of cultures.

Alexandria

332 BCE

Alexander the Great founded Alexandria in 332 BCE and was the capital of Egypt for many years. The capital was influenced by Greek as well as Roman culture. The city was a key point in international trade due to its ideal location.

Berenike

275 BCE

Berenike was a port city in Egypt established by King Ptolemy II in 275 BCE. It was on the Red Sea and when it was founded its purpose was to important African elephants from several countries. Berenike traded handmade and natural goods with India. Other goods such as pearls and spices were sent through Berenike to both Alexandria and Rome. This town was home to a widespread trade network.

Ashoka

254 BCE

Ashoka was the Mauryan Emperor from 271-232 BCE. During this time period Ashoka converted to Buddhism and worked to spread the religion. By sending troups to deliver religious messages it worked to establish trade relations. During Ashoka's time as Emperor cultures from West and Southeast Asia were traded with India.

Egyptian Faience Bowl

200 BCE

In Alexandria, Egypt these hand made faience bowls were used for funeral and ritual purposes. These pottery bowls are made in blue and green colors and feature Greek and Egyptian designs. These bowls were shipped out from Egypt to other pieces of the Roman Empire and have been found all around the world.

Rouletted Pottery

200 BCE

In Indonesia, Southeast Asia, and India between 200 BCE and 200 CE rouletted ware could be found. This pottery was exported to the Mediterranean, Rome, and Greece and was found in areas that were heavily active and profitable in trade.

Muziris

100 BCE

Muziris was a seaport along the Malabar Coast which is now the Indian state of Kerala. The use of the port dates back to first century BC. The port was used for India to trade with the Roman Empire.

Kaveripattinam

100

Kaveripattanam was a major port city in the Tamil state. The city was at the mouth of a river and neighbored a coast. The city had two districts, the first was for the working class and businesses. It was populated with warehouses and shipyards and was occupied by merchants, fisherman, and others of the sort. The second district was home to kings, naval force, and other high power individuals.

Pearls

100

Pearls were very popular in the Roman Empire in 100 CE. They come from oysters in the ocean so the only thing that has to be done is finding the oysters. Since pearls took up little space on ships they were ideal for trade due to size. For other countries that exported the pearls to the Roman Empire they were a key part of their economy.

Kushan Gold Coin

150

The Kushan gold coin, produced in 150 CE, comes from the Kusham Empire. The Kushan Empire was in control over parts of India and a town in Central Asia. One side of the coin is represtative of the Kushan Empire whereas the other side is representative of Egyptian culture. This coin shows the significant impact that trade had on culture.